Machine for inserting wire screening

ABSTRACT

A machine including a foot assembly for powered movement downwardly into close confinement within an opening within which the wire screening is to be installed. Laterally displaceable injectors act to forcefully engage marginal screen segments and drive same into the walls defining the opening. Cooperating wedge shaped components translate downward movement of the foot assembly to lateral injector movement and spring means retract the screen injectors to permit foot assembly removal from the opening. Also disclosed is screen supply arrangement for advancing screen into place on the block. A method of screen placement is also disclosed.

O United States Patent 1151 3,661,188 Gaug [451 May 9, 1972 54] MACHINE FOR INSERTING WIRE 3,513,525 5/1970 Flachbarth et al ..29/200 SCREENING 3,563,284 2/1971 Gordon [72] Inventor: Harold E. Gaug, 3907 Gibbons Street, Primary Examiner charles Lanham Vancouver wash 9866' Assistant Examiner-E. M. Combs [22] Filed; May 8, 1970 Attorney-James D. Givnan, Jr.

[21] Appl. No.: 35,743 [57] ABSTRACT A machine including a foot assembly for powered movement 0 I s I I s s s I I s s s I s s q s s the wire sc eening s to e installed. te ny d p ea [58] Field ofSearch ..29/200 3,523, 140/108, 109 ble injectors act to forcefully engage marginal Screen ments and drive same into the walls defining the opening. [56] Reierences Cited Cooperating wedge shaped components translate downward UNITED STATES PATENTS movement of the foot assembly to lateral injector movement v and spring means retract the screen in ectors to perm1t foot as- 1,714,463 5/1929 Espenschledm -140/109 sembly removal from the opening. Also disclosed is screen 2,608750 9/1952 Cluzel 109 supply arrangement for advancing screen into place on the 3,228,432 l/l966 Crocker 140/1 block. A method ofscreen placement is also disclosed. 3,361,612 1/1968 Rowbottam ....l40/l09 j 3,512,240 5/1970 Robinson ..29/523 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures MACHINE FOR INSERTING WIRE SCREENING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a machine for inserting a section of yieldable material into an apertured block. The machine embodying the invention includes powered components for inserting and attaching wire screening to the in terior walls of the block opening.

The insertion and attachment of screen material within roof vent blocks is advantageously performed by the present machine, such roof vent blocks beingthe subject of a separate U.S. patent application filed by the present inventor. Vent blocks are installed in building structures adjacent roof truss ends and the truss supporting wall to permit the random circulation of air through that area subjacent the roof. Conventional vent blocks are simply boards drilled or sawn to provide openings over which wire screening is tacked in place. Such blocks do not contribute to the structures appearance and further are costly for the reason they are individually made on the job site in a cut and fit manner by a workman. Additional LII ized by providing the means for inserting and attaching a 7 screen segment within an opening therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is embodied within a machine which functions to install a section of wire screening within an apertured block. Screening is positioned by the machine upon the block for subsequent insertion and attachment. Injectors carried within a foot assembly of the machine move to fasten the screen in place against internal block walls. Powered means moves the foot assembly into and out of the block opening and further drives injectors into the block wall. Resilient means function in the foot assembly, in the absence of a downwardly exerted force on the foot assembly, for retraction of the injectors prior to upward separation of said assembly from the block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the machine with parts sectioned for purposes of illustration,

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along line 2 2 of FIG. 1 and showing the foot assembly housing in broken lines,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a roof vent block,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view of foot assembly with fragments broken away along a transverse centerline,

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 with the foot assembly operatively inserted within the vent block,

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 4 showing foot assembly details,

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken along line 7 7 of FIG. 5 showing the foot assembly and injectors inserted into the block, and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken downwardly approximately along line 8 8 ofFlG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein applied reference numerals indicate parts similarly identified in the following specification, the reference numeral 1 indicates a work surface of convenient height supported upon a pedestal 2 and base 3. The pedestal extends upwardly to support a powered cylinder 4 by means of an interconnecting bracket not shown. Cylinder end plates 5 are interconnected by strain rods 6 secured therebetween. A piston rod 7 terminates at its outer end in threaded securement with a bridge 8 for powering the latter and associated parts of a later described foot assembly in a reciprocal manner.

For guiding the foot assembly a pair of rods I0 are slidably carried within openings 5A in the end plates. Set screws at 11 secure the bridge 8 to the rods to ensure desired vertical travel of the rod carried foot assembly. As best seen in FIG. 4'each rod has a wedge shaped member 12 secured to its lower terminus the member 12 located within a foot assembly housing 13. Helical compression springs 14 urge the bridge 8 and housing 13 oppositely to cause the wedge members 12 in the absence of a load thereon, to be positioned upwardly against the housing's top wall 13A.

Within the elongate housing 13 and specifically an internal area 15 therewithin are a pair of lengthwise disposed injector carriers 16 having opposing sloped surfaces 16A for working contact with corresponding surfaces 12A of wedge shaped members 12. Each carrier 16 mounts on'its lower. surface injectors indicated at 17 which are inset and project laterally as seen in FIG. 6 from each carrier. The carriers are moved in opposite directions upon relative downward movement of the wedge shaped members 12 to the position shown in FIG. 7 wherein the injectors 17 are shown projecting outwardly beyond the sides of the housing and embedded into a block B.- The wedge shaped members 12 and the cooperating carriers 16 constitute motion translation means. Opposing the outward lateral movement of the injector carriers 16 are resilient spring fingers 18 which, in the absence of a downward force on members 12, urge the carriers l6inwardly to'the full line positions in F IGS.'6 and 8. Retaining the spring fingers 18 are elongate relieved areas 19 extending along the outer carrier walls indicated at 20. With the wedge shaped members 12 raised relative to the housing 13, the spring fingers 18 act to urge the carriers and the injectors carried thereby inwardly to the full line position of FIG. 8. Pins 21 extend transversely adjacent the housing ends through open area 15 and therein slidably support the injector carriers for the just described.

movement. I I

A foot plate 22 is downwardly spaced from the foot assembly housing 13'and functions to initially contact the screen S being inserted into the block. Bolts at 23 extend downwardly through housing ,13 for threaded connection at 24- with the foot plate with collars at 25 serving as spacers against which the plate is held securely. Carried acrosS one end of housing 13 is a cutter 26 for coaction with a screen support 43 to clip the screen upon downward movement of the housing' The foot assembly as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6 is positioned intermediate its limits of travel for purposes of illustration and in actual operation comes to rest only at its upper and lower limits of travel. The block B shown in place on the work support platform 1 of themachine has an opening 27 defined by lengthwise extending internal walls 28 with inclined end walls 29 extending therebetween. For convenient spotting of the block in place projections 30 extend upwardly from the work surface I. Accurate placement of the block is achieved by the operator aligning the four comers of the blockopening with the four projections 30. The projections 30 are spring urged at 31 for telescoping movement downwardly onto the work supporting surface upon being contacted by the screen material being inserted.

Screen supply means in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 areembodied in a holder 32 for a roll of screen material 33 which is rotatably supported by an adjustable roller 34 and pairs of support rollers 35. The screening is unreeled by a driven roller 36 provided with screen engaging friction rings 37. Powering the roller 36 is an electric motor 38 driving through an internal gear reduction mechanism. The screen passing powered roller 36 is supported by an idler roller 39, the foregoing permitting the screen to be pulled off the supply roll 33 upon intermittent motor operation. The motor 38 is of the type incorporating a limit switch (not shown) serving to terminate motor operation at the end of a pre-determined operating interval whereby predetermined lengths of screen are intermittently pulled off the supply roll 33. A switch control at 40 is conveniently provided the machine operator to enable initiation of motor operation.

The continuous screen material passes from between rollers 36, 39 to the screen support 43 and is confined while passing thereover by an inverted U-shaped plate 42. By closely confining the passing screen against lateral and vertical displacement a degree of rigidity is imparted to the screen enabling same to be projected outwardly in a controlled manner beyond the end of support 43 for ultimate disposition upon wood block B. The intermittent operation of the motor is of a duration adequate to extend the desired length of screen which is approximately equal to the length of the block.

For operation of cylinder 4 for extension and retraction of piston rod 7 a conventional, electrically actuated air valve (not shown) is provided in circuit with controls 44 to permit air under pressure to be directed through the valve to the upper end of the cylinder via a line 45. Preferably the controls 44 are wired in series with electrical components of the valve to require the operator to use both hands to activate the valve thus necessitating his hands be away from the foot assembly for obvious safety reasons. At the completion of the downstroke of piston rod 7 and foot assembly 13 moved thereby, release of the controls 44 will cause said valve to direct pressurized air via a line 46 to the lower end of the cylinder for raising of the foot assembly. The stroke of the piston rod is such that at its full extension the foot plate will have positioned the screen substantially coplanar with the lower surface of block B with upturned marginal areas of the screen wedged against the walls 28-29 defining the block opening. The compression springs 14 are of adequate strength to keep the housing 13 and bridge 8 in the relationship shown in FIG. 4 during the full downward passage of the housing into the block. Continued downward movement of piston rod 7 and bridge 8, subsequent to the housing seating within the block, will cause the wedge shaped members 12 to move rela:

tive to housing 13 and to displace the injector carriers laterally. This occurs only after the housing 13 has reached its lowermost limit of travel. With attention to FIG. 7, the continued downward movement of the wedge shaped members 12 is shown displacing the carriers and forcing the injectors 17 'carried thereby into the interior walls 28 of the block. Segments of screen in the marginal upturned screen areas are thereby embedded by the injectors into the block. Oppositely, retraction of piston rod 7 permits spring fingers 18 to move the carriers 16 inwardly simultaneously with upward movement of the wedge shaped members. With the injectors retracted as the members 12 seat upwardly against top wall 13A, the housing is thence lifted from within the Block B. With the foot assembly raised to the full line position of FIG. 1 the finished roof vent block is removed and a new block mounted in place. Actuation of the switch control 40 causes a screen section of desired length to be projected in place on the block for subsequent insertion and attachment.

Having thus described may invention what is desired to be secured under a Letters Patent is:

1. A machine for shaping and securing flexible wire screen material within a wall defined rectangular opening in a block, said machine including,

a foot assembly including a housing of slightly less size than said block opening for screen shaping insertion into juxtaposed relationship with the opening walls, a pair of injector carriers having inclined surfaces thereon and movable outwardly in a plane normal to the travel of the foot assembly to embed segments of the flexible screen material into engagement with an opening defining wall, wedge shaped members disposed intermediate the pair of injectors carriers and cooperable with the inclined surfaces thereon for biasing the carriers outwardly, spring members interposed between said injector carriers and the housing urging said carriers inwardly of the housing to a retracted position, powered means coupled with said foot assembly for moving same into and out of the block opening and for moving said injector carriers outwardly when the block is in its lowermost position within said block, and

said foot assembly further including helical compression springs disposed intermediate said foot assembly and said powered means and urging said wedge shaped members to a raised position permitting retraction of said injector carriers-in the absence of force from said powered means, said helical springs being compressible subsequent to seating of the foot assembly within the block in the presence of continued force exerted by said powered means with such continued force additionally overcoming said spring members within the housing to cause outward movement of the injector carriers to attach the inserted and shaped screen material, subsequent termination of the downward force permitting said spring members to retract the injector carriers allowing removal of the foot assembly from the block by said powered means.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said foot assembly housing is of a size and configuration to substantially occupy the block opening with entrance of the housing into the block opening causing the flexible screen material to be confined and shaped intermediate the housing and the walls defining the block opening.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said housing carries a cutter element disposed at one end of the housing with said element being operable upon housing movement to cut off a segment of wire screen resting in place upon the block.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 1 additionally including means for supplying screen material in place upon the block preparatory to operative movement of the foot assembly, said supply means including a screen support through which the flexible screen material is directed in a closely confined manner to guide a passing segment of the screen material into projected placement upon said block, said foot assembly housing additionally including a cutter element operable upon housing movement to cut off a segment of wire screen in place upon the block, said cutter coacting with one end of said screen support.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said supply means includes a roller in bearing contact with the screen material prior to its passage through said screen support, a motor incorporating a motor limit switch to break a motor circuit after a pre-set period of motor operation during which time a segment of screen material has been guided into place on the block.

4 t X t 1 

1. A machine for shaping and securing flexible wire screen material within a wall defined rectangular opening in a block, said machine including, a foot assembly including a housing of slightly less size than said block opening for screen shaping insertion into juxtaposed relationship with the opening walls, a pair of injector carriers having inclined surfaces thereon and movable outwardly in a plane normal to the travel of the foot assembly to embed segments of the flexible screen material into engagement with an opening defining wall, wedge shaped members disposed intermediate the pair of injectors carriers and cooperable with the inclined surfaces thereon for biasing the carriers outwardly, spring members interposed between said injector carriers and the housing urging said carriers inwardly of the housing to a retracted position, powered means coupled with said foot assembly for moving same into and out of the block opening and for moving said injector carriers outwardly when the block is in its lowermost position within said block, and said foot assembly further including helical compression springs disposed intermediate said foot assembly and said powered means and urging said wedge shaped members to a raised position permitting retraction of said injector carriers in the absence of force from said powered means, said helical springs being compressible subsequent to seating of the foot assembly within the block in the presence of continued force exerted by said powered means with such continued force additionally overcoming said spring members within the housing to cause outward movement of the injector carriers to attach the inserted and shaped screen material, subsequent termination of the downward force permitting said spring members to retract the injector carriers allowing removal of the foot assembly from the block by said powered means.
 2. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said foot assembly housing is of a size and configuration to substantially occupy the block opening with entrance of the housing into the block opening causing the flexible screen material to be confined and shaped intermediate the housing and the walls defining the block opening.
 3. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said housing carries a cutter element disposed at one end of the housing with said element being operable upon housing movement to cut off a segment of wire screen resting in place upon the block.
 4. The machine as claimed in claim 1 additionally including means for supplying screen material in place upon the block preparatory to operative movement of the foot assembly, said supply means including a screen support through which the flexible screen material is directed in a closely confined manner to guide a passing segment of the screen material into projected placement upon said block, said foot assembly housing additionally including a cutter element operable upon housing movement to cut off a segment of wire screen in place upon the block, said cutter coacting with one end of said screen support.
 5. The machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said supply means includes a roller in bearing contact with the screen material prior to its passage through said screen support, a motor incorporating a motor limit switch to break a motor circuit after a pre-set period of motor opEration during which time a segment of screen material has been guided into place on the block. 